Final Fantasy X2: The Deep Sleep Dreaming
by NTJ
Summary: Basically, I wanted to do a story about everyone's children and the adventures that they go on. I realize that I made the plotline kind of similar to X, but I don't care I like it, and hopefully I'll be able to get more chapters up soon!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is a story that I thought of after doing _way_ too many Final Fantasy X and X-2 AMV's in a row. It's about their children; not just Yuna and Tidus', but _everyone's_. Please R&R!**

She stood on the beach, staring out at the bright pink sky as the sun fell to the waves of the bright ocean. A small zephyr flowed by, tousling her caramel hair, and she closed her eyes, welcoming the cool sea breeze in the intense heat of the sun. The tangy smell of salt and fish intermingled and tickled her nose, causing her to wrinkle the feature. Chill water lapped at her bare toes, and washed about her ankles, stealing some sand from beneath her feat, and gave the illusion that she was about to fall over. Sighing in contentment, she opened her eyes and sank down into the dampness of the waves that washed over her lap, soaking the shorts that ensconced her legs. _This is the life,_ she thought, reaching down to draw symbols in the sand which the small, lapping waves quickly erased from the face of the earth. She'd grown up on Besaid, much like her mother, although Yuna had seen the world before settling down. _But that was before the Eternal Calm,_ Lenne thought, watching as the sun sank rapidly below the horizon, forcing the crimson sky to swirl downward after it. Night was falling fast, and she knew that she ought to be heading back; it was easier to fight fiends by daylight.

"Lenne!" a voice called from the rocky outcropping behind her, and Lenne turned to see Nyshla approaching her. Lenne stood and wiped her hands together, making the damp grains of sand trickle down into the waiting water, which swept them out to sea. "Oh, there you are," Nyshla said, heading over. Her long black hair hung across her shoulders in its usual string of braids, and she tossed her head so that her hair swung around to hit her back with a tinkling sound. Lenne knew that was from the charms that dangled from the bottom of each braid. Lenne smiled at her friend whose dark skin looked even duskier in the falling twilight. Even though the girls were one year apart, they'd been as inseparable as sisters since childhood. Their mothers had been the same way, except that Nyshla wasn't quite as mothering over Lenne as Lulu had been to Yuna.

"I was just coming back," Lenne said, taking her friend's arm. "Don't tell me that Dad was worried about me out here, all alone." Lenne stuck her lower lip out into a pout, making Nyshla laugh.

"Tidus?" the giggle in Nyshla's voice echoed back at them from the rocky pass as they traipsed through. "You're his baby girl, Lenne. He'd do just about anything to protect you."

"Well, I wish he'd give it a rest," Lenne sighed, as they headed back toward the village. "Sometimes I feel so smothered; it's not like I don't know how to take care of myself."

"You always have your dagger on you, don't you?" Nyshla asked, prodding the younger girl with her elbow. Lenne nodded, her free hand going to her waist, where a small dagger sat, sheathed in her belt. She'd known how to fight off fiends from a young age, and had been taught well by both her father and Nyshla's father, Wakka.

"And I'm learning black magic from Lulu. But it's never enough for them." Lenne sighed, as Nyshlya patted the hand that lay in the crook of her elbow with sympathy.

"It's so hard growing up in a small community. I sometimes wonder what life would be like if we'd grown up in Luca." Nyshla sighed this time, and Lenne gazed around the corner at all the people sitting at their individual fires, laughter purging the air, and shouts of children echoing through the night. This was her life, ever since the beginning; everyone knew everyone else, and they all behaved as an over-extended family. She could never get away with anything, even as a child.

"Well, it never gets boring," a voice came from the shadows of the woods, and instantly, Lenne's fingers grappled for her dagger and Nyshla conjured a fireball with her free hand. A bright grin and a pair of twinkling green eyes flashed back at them, and the girls sagged against each other, relieved. Lenne let go of Nyshla to hug Kivem, her "cousin," glad to see him after all this time.

"When did you get here?" Lenne demanded, wrapping her arms tight around him. Kivem squeezed her back, his shaggy blonde hair tickling her cheek.

"'Bout an hour ago." His voice was low and gravelly so close to her ear. "Mom an' Dad decided to drop by." He let her go and stood back at arm's length to get a good look at her. "Wow, Squirt, you've grown." Kivem's lopsided grin grew as she wrenched out of his grip.

"Don't call me squirt!" she cried, battering her fists playfully against his ribcage. He just bent over double, laughing and trying to block her teasing punches. At the age of fifteen, Lenne was still sensitive about her size; she'd only just reached five feet two years ago, and had barely put on an inch recently. She knew that she was doomed to have her mother's mean stature, and wished for her father's taller frame. Kivem, however, almost six feet tall, and enjoyed poking merciless fun at her.

Nyshla approached, and extinguished her fireball, dousing all of them into the jumping shadows of the closest fire. "Lenne, don't; that's the part he enjoys the most," she said, her voice full of mirth. Kivem jumped up to face her with protest, and she reached out a hand as though to welcome him, but once he took it, she shocked him. Not hard enough to really hurt him, but hard enough that he would feel the jolt through his whole body.

"No fair!" he exclaimed, chasing the two laughing girls back toward the village. The three of them collapsed at the fire that blazed outside of Lulu and Wakka's house, giggling amongst themselves. Cythna, Kivem's older sister, and Vidina, Nyshla's older brother, were deep in conversation about some sort of machina, and Lenne's twin older brothers were passing around a blitzball. They'd inherited their father's skill, and had played for the Besaid Aurochs for the past three years. Vidina played as well, and the three of them were practically inseparable.

Rikku came over and gave both of her "nieces" a hug. "It's been _ages_," she complained, squeezing Lenne tight. "You really need to come and visit more often." Rikku shot a glance at Yuna, and Yuna shrugged, smiling.

"You know how I feel about big cities," Yuna replied, in her calm, quiet voice that Lenne knew so well. Lenne smiled to herself, and stared at the dancing orange and yellow flames of the fire. Ever since her mother and father were reunited, her mother hadn't wanted to leave the island for some reason. When asked about it, Yuna would smile sadly and reply, "I don't want to wake to find this all a dream." Though Yuna was invited regularly to Bevelle and Kilika to fight for both New Yevon and the Youth League, she hardly ever went. The only excursion she allowed herself was the blitzball tournament held in Luca every year. She'd gone to support Tidus and Wakka when they'd played, and now to support her sons. Lenne glanced over to her brothers, who were passing the ball in a series of intricate moves.

Auron, the older one, spun about, his long dark hair whipping about his face and getting in his crystalline blue eyes. In the firelight, they danced dark, but Lenne knew that they were the brightest blue—brighter than the ocean—swirled with the faintest touches of green. He passed the ball to Jecht, who caught it with ease. Jecht looked mysterious and almost sinister with his deep skin color and dark brown eyes. "Just like my old man," her father used to say, which was where the young man had gotten his name. Jecht's dark brown eyes glowed like coals in the firelight, and Lenne could almost make out the green that zigzagged all the way around the pupil; a green as dark as the forests at midnight. His short hair hung down to his chin, and glowed umber in the firelight, but Lenne knew that it was actually almost as gold as her father's with more of a dark brown undertone. Both of her brother's had inherited their father's stature, and stood about five and a half feet tall. _It's not fair_, Lenne thought sulkily, watching the two of them laugh as they practiced a more complicated pass.

"Lenne," Nyshla said, snapping her back to reality. "Are you even paying attention?" Lenne looked at Kivem and Nyshla, who were gazing back at her expectantly. She shook her head to clear it.

"Sorry, I was thinking. What were you saying?" she asked, her cheeks burning red. Nyshla sniggered behind her hand, the fire reflecting in her deep blue eyes. Kivem sighed, running a hand through his shaggy blonde hair.

"Are you excited about the blitz tournament that's coming up?" Nyshla repeated patiently. Lenne looked at Nyshla and nodded, smiling.

"I really hope we win again this year," she said, leaning forward to warm her chilly hands by the fire. Kivem made a noise of disgust. Both Lenne and Nyshla turned to look at him.

"You wouldn't have won last year if our star player hadn't broken his arm," her said, sulkily, casting a glance over to Auron and Jecht. Vidina had gone over and joined in as well, and the three of them passed to one another with an almost effortless ease. Lenne smiled at Kivem, her eyes twinkling merrily.

"Kivem, face it; they're too good. They move like the water itself." Lenne smiled, watching them again for a few seconds. It truly was amazing to watch them play together—she'd never seen a better combination, save her father and Wakka.

"Yeah, I'll bet they're better than the Zanarkand Abes!" Nyshla exclaimed, a giggle in her voice. Almost immediately, the adults fell silent and looked at Nyshla either in shock or surprise. Nyshla stared back at them, dumbfounded. "What did I say?" she asked, looking to her mother and father. Wakka looked away and Lulu shifted in her seat and shot a glance to Yuna. Tidus smiled half-heartedly, and touched his wife's shoulder. Yuna grabbed his hand, a look of almost-panic in her eyes.

"How did you hear about them?" Tidus asked, his voice light, but Lenne could see something else in his eyes; some emotion that she couldn't quite place. Nyshla looked from Kivem to Lenne, but both just shrugged.

"Well, I saw something in a sphere, once, about the history of blitzball, and it said that they were the greatest team of all time—until Zanarkand was destroyed." Nyshla cast her gaze about, and all of the adults seemed to relax just a bit; except for Yuna, whose knuckles were almost white she was gripping Tidus' hand so hard. Lenne gave Kivem a quizzical look, but he just shrugged, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah," Tidus said, "they _were_ the greatest team." His hand absently went to the pendant that hung on a chain around his neck. Lenne gave him a curious look. Her mother had the same symbol tattooed on her left shoulder blade. Lenne had asked her about it once, when she was rather small, and Yuna had admitted that it was a symbol that served to unite herself and Tidus; she'd gotten it soon after they were reunited. Lenne had no idea what the symbol meant.

"But we got an even betta team this year, ya?" Wakka said, motioning over to where Vidina, Auron and Jecht sat, laughing and passing the ball by forehead. Tidus grinned, and his free hand moved from the pendant to cover Yuna's. Yuna seemed to relax her grip, and gave him a silent apology.

"Yeah, we do. I hope you're ready to get your butt kicked again this year, Gippal," Tidus said, his eyes flashing with mirth. Gippal looked up from where he sat, his arm around Rikku.

"Bring it, old man," Gippal replied, the firelight flashing in his grin. Kivem sat up a bit straighter, the jollity of challenge in his green eddied eyes. Lenne could see what was coming; a full-blown match between everyone.

"Hey, who you callin' old?" Tidus exclaimed, jabbing his thumb over toward Wakka. "He's older than me."

"What?" Wakka cried, jumping up. "What'd you say?" Everyone was laughing, especially Rikku, who was bent over nearly double, wheezing with delight. Lenne knew that there was no animosity between her "Auntie" Rikku and Wakka, just lots of good plain fun. Wakka stood as Vidina passed him the ball; he caught it with the well-trained ease of a longtime blitzer. He and Tidus had retired a while ago, but remained the coaches of the team. "Let's go, ya?" Wakka challenged, and Tidus jumped up, as well as Gippal and Kivem.

"Oh no, here the go again," Cythna groaned, watching them play. The older girl had made it obvious on numerous occasions that she would rather be working in Bikanel Desert than have anything to do with blitzball. Lulu sat there for a moment, watching as the men passed around the blue and white ball, then stood.

"Count me in!" she called, adjusting her wide-belted pants. Yuna and Rikku jumped up as well.

"Let's see if we remember how to play!" Rikku said, rushing over to steal the ball away from her son.

"Hey!" Kivem cried, trying to get it back as she kicked it to Yuna. Yuna caught it with relative ease, but was promptly surrounded by her sons, who stood a good half-foot taller than her.

"Go long, Lenne!" she called, tossing the ball over their heads to her daughter. Lenne chased after it, laughing, as both Vidina and Kivem chased after her. Soon, Nyshla joined in. Lenne enjoyed passing the ball, and trying out her rusty talents; she didn't play much, on account of her skill being nowhere near the level of her brother's. She laughed when Kivem tried to snatch the ball from behind her back, and tossed it to Nyshla, while Kivem tried to pin her arms to her sides. After a while, the game progressed to keep-away, and Lenne managed to get Cythna to join in as well.

Their laughter lit up the night while the fires about them died down. No thoughts or worries passed through their minds in the midst of such a carefree event; and Lenne thought how good it must be to feel young again. There was a gleam in her father's eye and a bounce in her mother's step that she hadn't seen in a so very long time. Even Lulu was smiling and laughing; teasing her children and husband as she tried to figure out how to get it over their heads. The sky had darkened to the deep purple of midnight long before anyone thought of going to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Lenne slept late the next morning; she could feel the sun beating down against the open window that sat across from the foot of her bed, and she found that she'd kicked most of her covers off. Cythna was gone already, probably down at the dock, helping to install the new engine for the ship that was bound for Kilika and, eventually, Luca. Her parents' laughter permeated the air from downstairs. She sat up, stretching, her loose nightgown's sleeves falling down around her shoulders; she ran her fingers through her long blonde hair a few times, and rolled out of bed.

Nyshla came in, the same sleepy look in her eyes; as though she, too, had just awakened. She wore one of her many black knee-length dresses, along with a pair of shiny black boots. Lenne went over to her wash basin, and filled it with cool water.

"So, what are we doing today?" Nyshla asked, sitting gracefully onto Lenne's bed. Lenne shrugged, splashing water over her face, shivering as the delightfully chill, wet feeling ran down her face. She groped for her towel, and patted her face dry, and inspected her visage in the mirror. Her shoulder-length blonde hair hung quite disarrayed about her shoulders, curling out a bit at the ends, some fringe falling into her eyes—her mother's eyes. With Yuna's eyes, it was easy to tell the difference between her green eye (right) and her blue eye (left). Not quite so with Lenne; both were rimmed with a blue deeper than the sea at midnight, and filled with a blue clearer than the sky at noon. Her right eye had splashes of green that looked like thin little ripples on a lake. Only on a clear, bright day could one discern that her eyes weren't uniform. It was the only part of her that betrayed her Al Bhed lineage.

Lenne glanced behind her in the mirror, at Nyshla, whose long black braids hung neatly down to her waist. She's always thought that Nyshla was prettier of the two of them, with her long, dark hair and deep blue eyes rimmed with pretty lashes. Nyshla's pretty lips could form a perfect pout, and her chin reached a delicate point; the older girl had inherited her father's height, and her long legs were crossed at the ankles, making them look incredibly slim and marvelously long.

"What?" the older girl asked, getting up and coming over to the mirror. "Do I have a zit or something?" Lenne shook her head, doubting if Nyshla had ever had a zit in her entire life.

"No, you don't." She smiled, heading over to the small chest in the corner. "Let me get dressed and then we can go down to the lagoon," she said, pulling out a light blue halter shirt and a short dark blue skirt. After donning the clothes, she tied her hair into a hasty bun and slid into a pair of sandals. She paused to admire the way the light blue brought out the color in her eyes, and the way the light blue almost faded into the dark blue, like the water the further out to sea that she went. Two silver arm guards and her black belt with her dagger's sheath were the last things that she slid on. Nyshla grinned, adjusting the hem of her black dress.

"Let's go," the older girl said, and they trouped downstairs to grab a bit to eat. Breakfast was sitting at the kitchen table, and consisted of muffins and some sort of bacon. They were about to leave, when they heard Rikku talking in the next room.

". . . Paine said she saw it with her own eyes. I didn't believe her at first, but then I went with her and Baralai on their next trip out, and oh, Yunie! I haven't seen the woods as big since your journey—and that was more than twenty years ago!" The girls walked into the conversation as Rikku reached over to grab Yuna's hand. Yuna looked positively faint.

"What's back?" Lenne asked, wondering why this was affecting her mother so much. Everyone turned around to look at the two young women who were munching on their breakfast. Tidus opened his mouth to speak, but Yuna shook her head.

"Don't worry about it, girls; just run along." Yuna said, her voice just a bit sad and worried. Lenne cast a glance to her father, who had his arm around her mother. He simply shrugged.

"But why do you look so worried—" Lenne began, but Yuna cut her off.

"I _said_, run along," Yuna barked, in a voice that Lenne had rarely ever heard her mother use. Lenne stared at her mother for a moment, unsure of what to do. Usually, Yuna was a soft speaker; but whenever she used that tone, she meant what she said, or someone was going to earn a punishment. Lenne almost gave in to her teenage stubbornness and demanded to know what was going on, but thought better of it when she caught the look in her mother's eyes. It was sharp as daggers, and terribly red-hot. Lenne nodded and headed outside with Nyshla. On their way around the house, they heard Yuna say, "But I sent all the Aeons . . ." and then the door closed behind them.

Nyshla cast a curious glance at Lenne, and Lenne shook her head. "Why do I get the feeling that they're hiding something from us?" Nyshla asked as they finished their muffins. Lenne shrugged, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"I don't know. Mom never really told us much about how she defeated sin, or why she and Dad were separated. It's almost like she wants to forget that chapter of her life completely." Lenne flicked her hair out of her eyes as they walked up the path to get to the lagoon. As they passed the boys playing blitzball, Kivem smiled at them and waved. Lenne waved back absently.

"Hi Jecht!" Nyshla called, as he passed the ball to Vidina. Jecht smiled and waved at them. Lenne giggled as they walked around the corner. Nyshla looked at her, a silly grin on her face. "What?"

"Jeeze, could you be more obvious?" Lenne laughed, leaning on Nyshla for support. Nyshla blushed, pushing Lenne aside. "'Hi Jecht!'" Lenne squeaked in a falsetto voice. "Man, my brother will _never_ know that you like him now!"

"Well, what about you and Kivem? Did you see the look he gave you?" Nyshla clasped her hands under her chin and tilted her head to the side, batting her dark eyelashes. "Oh, Lenne, I love you; I must have you!" she exclaimed, grabbing Lenne's face and attempting to kiss her on the nose.

"Yeeagh!" Lenne yanked away from Nyshla, laughing. "Yeah, right, he's just my best friend. Besides, we're related! He's like a brother to me," Lenne protested, as a small flan jumped out of the bushes in front of them. Nyshla conjured a fireball that rolled over the tiny thing that never would have stood a chance. Lenne giggled, watching as the rainbow-hued pyreflies rose into the afternoon air, much like ripples on the surface of a calm lake.

"Those are some of the oldest excuses in the book!" Nyshla said, as they continued on their way. Lenne shook her head, wisps of her blonde hair falling out from the bun to brush across her bare shoulders. She and Kivem had been born within a week of each other, and had practically been raised together. He was the male version of Nyshla to her; they were so close that they knew everything about each other. He would have admitted if he'd had a crush on her. Besides, she didn't feel _that_ way about him. Nyshla was probably just mistaking the signals, as usual; she didn't know how to read them very well.

"How about I go and tell my brother about your crush on him?" Lenne teased, dancing backwards in front of Nyshla. The older girl's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open.

"You _wouldn't_!" Nyshla cried, chasing Lenne the rest of the way down the hill. Lenne shrieked and ran as fast as she could, down through the trees and into the waiting blue water of the lagoon. She splashed through the crisp blue water, kept cool from the afternoon heat by all the tall, leafy trees. Nyshla followed, barely a moment later, and ran into Lenne, knocking her down and immersing her in the water. Lenne came up, shivering, her arms clenched tight about her.

"You did that on purpose!" she cried, indignant. Nyshla was laughing too hard to postpone her imminent demise, when Lenne yanked her over into the water as well. The older girl stumbled over Lenne and fell face first into the water with a tremendous splash. She came up, still laughing, and flicked a fistful of water at Lenne.

"I did not!" Nyshla cried, standing up. Her short dress was drenched and clung to her every curve. She tugged off her knee-high black boots and tossed them to shore. As Lenne watched them fly through the air, her gaze was caught by something on the shore opposite them. It looked like a person, and she sloshed through the knee-deep water towards it. Nyshla grabbed her arm.

"What is it?" she asked, her bright eyes wide. Lenne shrugged her off, and continued toward the body, hoping it wasn't an un-Sent person. She'd only ever heard of them once before, but the way that her mother had described them had sounded positively chilling.

She fell to her knees beside the person and rolled him over, barely using any effort. His russet curls strayed over his face, and his eyes were closed, but Lenne could see the smattering of freckles that touched his cheeks and swept across the bridge of his nose. Nyshla gasped, and came over as well, but she maintained her distance. Lenne brushed the hair out of his face and leaned down close to him to feel for his breath. It came, but only faintly, and his skin felt clammy and cold.

"Is he dead?" Nyshla asked, standing with her fists pressed against her mouth. Lenne looked at her, and had to marvel at how young Nyshla sometimes acted. She shook her head.

"No; he's alive. Quick, run and get my father—and Mom too. She'll be able to help heal him. I'll stay here and make sure nothing harms him." She turned back to the young man and pulled out a dagger from the back of her belt.

"But what if _he's_ a . . ." Nyshla started, and Lenne turned around, a fire in her eyes.

"I can handle myself, alright? _Go_," she ordered, and Nyshla obeyed, running full tilt up the hill, back towards the village, her boots lying forgotten on the shore of the lagoon. Lenne turned back to the young man, fingering the dagger that she held. She wished that she knew more healing spells, but her mother and Rikku were the ones who'd had the most knowledge on the topic. She sighed, settling down on the sand to await her parents.

The young man's dark russet hair was a color that Lenne had never seen before; it was redder and darker than either Wakka's or Vidina's, and it curled softly, even though it was damp. The clothes that he wore had a strange look to them, and Lenne couldn't place where she'd seen them before—maybe they were some form of Al Bhed. His features were fine, perhaps a bit feminine, with his high cheekbones and pretty lips, but his nose jutted out of his profile almost like a hawk's beak, giving him an almost rugged appearance. Lenne guessed that he was maybe three years older than her, tops. She brushed a few more curls out of his eyes, and noticed the puckered skin of a scar that ran from the corner of his shoulder across his broad chest. _How did he get that, I wonder?_ she thought.

Her pondering was interrupted by her father, who came tearing around the bend, her mother and Rikku hot on his heels. Lenne stood, sheathing her dagger and helping her father to pull him out of the water. Lulu and Gippal came next, followed by Wakka, who was rather out of breath. Yuna bent over the young man and gave him a potion, which made him groan.

"Can't you heal him?" Lenne asked, as her father and Gippal hefted the young man up and slung their arms together in an attempt to carry him. Yuna shook her head, feeling his forehead and opening his eyes to check them.

"No, healing only works if he's been poisoned or had darkness inflicted on him; basically battle magic. Old-fashioned cures work best for hypothermia." Yuna checked him over for other injuries, but all he seemed to have was a lump on the back of his head. "He should be all right. Come on," she said, taking the roll of leader, "let's get him back to our house. Rikku, Lulu, can you boost him up with some air?" Lulu and Rikku nodded, and managed to conjure up a small cushion of air that made Tidus sigh with relief.

"He'll warm up once he's out of those wet clothes," Gippal said. Yuna turned to him as they made their way slowly up the hill. She nodded and turned to Wakka.

"Right. Wakka, go and see if you can find any of the boys' clothes. I think Vidina's would fit him better." Wakka nodded and raced back up the hill towards the village. Lenne stuck with her parents, not knowing what else to do. The going back up the hill was painstakingly slow, and Lenne could see that her father and Gippal, despite Rikku and Lulu's efforts, were starting to gleam with sweat. She concentrated, wanting to help, but Yuna put a hand out. "Don't. You don't have enough control yet. Go up to the house and gather all the blankets that you can find. We're going to put him on the extra bed in your room just for now."

"Okay." Lenne dashed back up the hill toward her house, and saw her brothers and Kivem laughing about something they'd just said.

"Hey Lenne, what's all the commotion?" Auron asked, bouncing the blitzball off of his forehead. Lenne grinned, turning around and running backwards.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she shot back, and Jecht laughed. "Ask Mom when they get up here; can't talk now!" and she whirled around and dashed up the path toward her house. Nyshla was lying on the couch, a glass of water in her hand, looking spent.

"Did you grab my boots?" she asked, taking a sip of water. Lenne shook her head as she grabbed as many blankets out of the cupboards as possible. "Crap," Nyshla said, sitting up a bit more. "Well? Is he going to be all right?"

"I sure hope so," Lenne replied, heading upstairs to remake the bed. Her parents were only a few moments behind her, and she heard Wakka come in only moments after that with some of Vidina's clothes. Lenne tossed a few more pillows on the bed and pulled back the sheets for her parents. She could hear them struggling on the stairs, and went out to try to assist them. They somehow managed to get him on the bed, and Yuna ordered her down to the kitchen to make sandwiches for everyone. Lenne obediently left, and managed to create a good-looking lunch in record time. Nyshla grinned at her.

"I'll guard the door and make sure that the boys don't eat it all," she volunteered, as Lenne headed back upstairs to see how her parents were doing.

Even though the upstairs was hot, Yuna piled blankets on top of him, hoping that it would help to melt away his hypothermia. She commissioned Lenne to watch over him, and the young woman did as she was told, marveling at the steel beneath her mother's delicate nature. The way she could take charge of any situation put no doubt in her mind that this, indeed, was the woman who had defeated Sin so early in life. Lenne sat in her room, reading up on her black magic, hoping to get another lesson from Lulu soon.

Twilight was stretching his darkened fingers by the time Yuna came back up. Lenne had given up on reading, and was practicing some of the maneuvers that she'd been taught with her dagger. Yuna set a tray of food and water on the nightstand, and watched her daughter for a few moments. It felt odd to be scrutinized by her mother, and Lenne faltered before deciding that she was done practicing for now.

"Has he moved yet?" Yuna asked, sitting on the bed. Lenne shook her head, flopping down next to her mother.

"He started to get a bit restless, and I figured that he was hot, so I took some blankets off. He's been sleeping like a baby for the past hour or so." She looked thoughtfully at him, admiring his profile. Her mother made a small movement, and Lenne looked back at her, wondering how all the worry lines had appeared on her face as though overnight. Usually, Yuna was calm and unmoving, as stoic as her Summoner training allowed her to be. She didn't fret over things, but merely accepted them as they were. _What could be weighing on her heart so?_ Lenne wondered, trying to scrutinize her mother. Yuna burst out laughing, and Lenne pulled back a bit, confused. "What?" she asked, as her mother tried to control her giggling. Yuna smiled broadly—one of the first true smiles that Lenne had seen in a long time—and waved her hand, trying to find the words to explain.

"Your father used to give me that look a lot when we first met. It was like he couldn't figure me out. Those were some of the happiest and saddest days of my life." Yuna leaned her head back against the wall and smiled nostalgically. Lenne kept quiet and waited for her mother to continue, but after a moment, Yuna sighed and opened her eyes, turning her gaze to the young man. "I wonder who he is?"

Lenne sighed silently to herself, leaning resignedly up against the wall. She might never learn of her mother's legacy; why was it so important for Yuna to keep quiet about it all? It wasn't like it would fade away after she talked about it. Yuna had adamantly refused to tell her children a morsel more than she needed to, and Tidus didn't talk about it because she didn't talk about it. While Jecht and Auron didn't seem to care one way or the other, it irked Lenne to no end; she crossed her arms sulkily.

"Hey," her father said, poking his head through the doorway. Lenne noticed the young man was beginning to stir, and she jumped up to take away some more blankets. "How's he doing?" Tidus asked, coming into the room. Yuna held up her hand.

"He's coming around," Yuna said, standing. Lenne tucked the sheets and blankets down by the foot of the bed, and moved to get a few more. The young man stirred and his eyes fluttered open; his hand moved to catch hers. It was hot and sweaty, and his face was just a bit flushed. Her eyes traveled up his hard muscled chest, past his strong chin to his eyes, which were a color like none she'd ever seen before. They glowed like the sun, and seemed to move like liquid gold fringed by his fire-red eyelashes. Bright yellow surrounded the pupil, and melted into bullion more brilliant than any color she'd ever seen; each eye was rimmed with a copper as bright as the metal itself. She felt her breath catch in her throat, and had to wrench her gaze away from his eyes to stop staring.

"What happened?" he asked thickly, his grip still firm on her hand, and his voice was low and raspy from sleep. "Who are you?"

"My name is Lenne. You're on Besaid Island, though how you got here is quite a mystery," Lenne replied, sitting down beside him on the bed. "Who are you?"

"Anaïs," he replied, trying to sit up. Lenne helped him, fluffing the pillows that sat between his strong back at the wall. "The last thing I remember, I was riding my hoverbike, but it malfunctioned, and I started to fall . . ." he paused, holding a hand up to his head. He flinched visibly when his hand touched the bruise on the back of his head. Lenne found herself getting lost once more in the golden pool of his eyes, and pulled away.

"You must be starving," she said, taking the tray that her mother had brought up and placing it on his lap. He nodded and began to eat rapidly, as though he hadn't in days. As he ate, his eyes traveled about the room, taking in his surroundings. His gaze moved easily over Yuna and Lenne, but once they reached Tidus, the glass he was holding fell to the floor and shattered.

"I _know_ you!"


	3. Chapter 3

Lenne gawked. _How could he possibly know Dad?_ She thought, disbelief showing on her face. It was nothing compared to the looks that Yuna and Tidus were giving him, though. The look on her father's face said quite plainly that he'd never seen this young man before in his life. Yuna's jaw had practically hit the floor, and it remained that way, with her totally unaware of it. Lenne stared between the boy and her father, unsure of what to make of all this. Tidus blinked a few times, the incredulous look in his eyes _nothing_ compared to Yuna's.

"I've never seen you before!" Tidus protested, still agog. The young man laughed, and Lenne's heart skipped a beat; it was a sound as smooth as the rocks on the bottom of a stream. She's never heard an easier laugh in her life, save for Rikku, who was always willing to spread her mirth around.

"I wouldn't think so," Anaïs said. "_Everyone_ where I come from knows you; you're Tidus of the Zanarkand Abes."

It was Lenne's turn to whirl around and stare incredulously. Hadn't they talked about the Zanarkand Abes last night? Why hadn't her parents said anything? Then, Lenne realized something.

"He can't possibly be. Zanarkand was destroyed over a thousand years ago!" she turned to face her parents for some sort of explanation, but their guilty faces simply served to confuse her. "No, you're wrong! He just looks like him!" she said the words aloud, but as soon as they'd passed her lips, she knew that she didn't believe a morsel of them. Somehow, her parents had lied to her all of her life. How could her father possibly be from Zanarkand? Lenne felt her knees begin to tremble, and she flopped down onto the other bed.

"No; I know it's him—I've followed blitzball my entire life. I even remember when your father played." The young man smiled; it was a flash of sunlight in the darkening room. "Jecht was _insanely_ good."

"Jecht? Your father, Jecht?" Lenne demanded, her voice rising in pitch. She struggled to maintain her composure as the pieces of her world came crashing down around her. Her dead grandfather was from Zanarkand as well? But she'd been to Zanarkand once during the summer with Rikku, and there was nothing there except ruins and monkeys. How could anyone _possibly_ live there? _Maybe he got hit on the head,_ Lenne thought, grasping for anything that would help her to calm down.

"Um . . . how . . . how old are you?" Tidus asked, as though not sure of himself anymore. Lenne had never heard such uncertainty in her father's voice before. The young man laughed.

"Oh, I'm only seventeen. I was five when Jecht disappeared, and only got to see him play once. It was unforgettable. And you . . . I must have seen every game you ever played until the stadium was destroyed . . ." suddenly, realization came to his face. "Hey; you've only been gone for two years—why do you look so much older?"

Yuna's hands flew to Tidus' and she squeezed. Lenne always thought it odd that her mother acted as though he were going to disappear when she needed him the most. Yuna sighed, and sank down onto the bed next to her daughter, who promptly jumped up. Yuna sighed again. Lenne stood between the boy and her mother, unsure of where she wanted to be, lest it look awkward. She finally settled on the edge of her own bed, down by the foot. Yuna closed her eyes for a moment, her hand still gripping Tidus' before she spoke.

"Do you remember what I told you about the temples and the fayth?" Yuna asked, as though getting Lenne to talk would calm her daughter down.

"The fayth made aeons that could be used in battle, but once Sin was destroyed, the fayth became useless and dried up," Lenne said, almost monotonously, wondering where this was all going to lead. Yuna nodded for the briefest moment.

"That's just a small part of it. I defeated Sin twenty years ago so that the fayth could finally stop their dreaming. Killing Sin ended the spiral of death that we were all so caught up in. I Sent all the aeons that the fayth had created, and the fayth stopped being corporeal in this world." Yuna shuddered, and it looked as though she were going to cry. Lenne's heart jumped into her throat. She'd _never_ seen her mother cry before. Tidus perched on the edge of the bed, both arms around Yuna.

"I'm here, I'm here," he murmured, kissing her temple. She held onto him tightly in return, as if afraid of letting go.

"The dreams of the fayth disappeared as they fell asleep. Tidus is one of those dreams, brought back to me by the fayth. It took two years for them to . . . to bring him back. And in those two years, I'd all but given up hope." Yuna bit her lower lip as she finished her brief story. Lenne sat for a moment, letting it all sink in. Her father was a dream? That was impossible; how could dreams come to life? And if her father was a dream, didn't that mean that Anaïs was a dream as well? But she'd felt his touch, and it was as real as Nyshla was to her. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, trying to calm down.

"You mean Dad might disappear someday?"

"Well, he hasn't yet . . ." Yuna started, but Lenne cut her off.

"If he's a dream, doesn't that make me part dream? Do I not really exist? I can't believe you never _told_ me any of this!" Lenne cried, jumping up and stalking out of the room. She nearly ran over Nyshla, who'd been on her way up the stairs to see how the boy was doing. Nyshla took one look at Lenne's face and backed away.

"Hey! What's wrong . . . where are you going?" she asked as Lenne stomped down the stairs. Nyshla attempted to follow, but Lenne whirled around on her.

"Leave me alone!" Lenne cried, and Nyshla stayed where she was as Lenne made her way down the steps and out the door, her eyes brimming with tears. She knew that she needed to get out of there, and broke into a run as she passed the fires and other's houses, her feet leading her down the path toward the beach. It wasn't a conscious choice, but her stumbling feet seemed to know where she was going, and she simply let them carry her. On the way, she passed Kivem and her brothers who were laughing about something or another. She sniffled, doubting whether she'd ever laugh again.

"Hey Lenne! Where are you going?" Kivem asked, but she didn't answer; only let herself stumble down the hill toward the beach.

She flopped down onto the wet sand as the white-capped waves came crashing down in the distance. The sun was low in the sky; a large orange orb reflecting twofold against the deep blue waters of the sea. The sky was streaked with a child's watercolor of orange, gold, and pink, and the ocean mirrored the sky, save for the whiteness of the waves as they crashed over the rocks in the distance. The sky behind her was just turning from steel gray to dark purple, and a few misty white clouds blew through the sky above, tangling with the setting sun and becoming a most marvelous magenta color. Lenne drew a deep breath as she took in her surroundings, but found that she could divulge no joy in watching the colors blend together and spill out over the sparkling water. Not tonight; not when the very essence of her existence could possibly be in danger. Perhaps never again.

The first tears came as the sea washed into her lap, its touch that of a longtime friend; warm and loving. She could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks and splashing into the seawater; mixing with the salt of the ocean until the two were inseparable.

Someone touched her shoulder, and she turned just a bit, hoping it wasn't her mother or Lenne just might tell her off. Instead, the kind face of Kivem looked back at her, his citrine eyes a swirl of green and pine and emerald around the pupil. More tears of Lenne's splashed into the water as she reached for him, and he settled down on the wet sand next to her, holding her in his arms, her tears soaking through the front of his shirt. She held him tight around his ribs; tight enough to make it uncomfortable, but he never complained. The pounding of his heart in her ear calmed her and stopped most of the tears. After a long while, she finally stopped crying, and drew in a shaky breath. He stopped running his fingers through her honey-blonde hair, and helped her to sit back up.

She squeezed her arms tight about her and felt just a touch embarrassed; for she knew that she must look a mess. Kivem raised a hand to her cheek to wipe her tears away. Lenne sighed and opened her eyes. Kivem sat there, her face in his hands, a comforting look playing across his lips and eyes. She gave him a small half-smile and covered her hands with her own.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as she gently removed his hands and pressed them together between her own. She drew another shuddering breath and bit her lower lip, hard enough to taste blood, in order to stop herself crying again.

"Do you remember," she began, her voice trembling, "when we were kids? We always thought that our parents had some special club that we were never allowed into. She paused for a moment, trying to keep her hands from shaking. Kivem nodded encouragingly.

"Yeah, because they always sent us away when they wanted to talk about things like your mom's pilgrimage," he said, his voice only sounding slightly intrigued. Lenne hung her head, not quite willing to look him in the eyes.

"They've lied to me my entire life," she whispered, not trusting her voice any louder. Kivem's hands dropped from hers, and she risked a look at his incredulous face; precisely the look she hadn't wanted to see. She felt another wave of tears try to overtake her, and she bit her lower lip even harder to take her mind off of it; because if she thought about it one iota more than she already was, she'd be a mess in his arms again.

"Tell me everything, Lenne," he said, cupping her face in his hands again and giving her an encouraging kiss on the forehead. She ended up crying again, halfway through her tale, as the streaky sky above them deepened to purple and velvety black amongst the rays of the stars and the moon. He held her until most of the hurt and all of the tears ebbed away.

"And I don't understand why they couldn't just _tell_ me. If I'd grown up knowing, it wouldn't be any big deal, but the fact that they've _lied_ about it . . ." she looked up at Kivem, her hurt evident in her pretty blue eyes. Kivem squeezed her hand.

"Lenne, it's probably more complicated than that. Imagine being two years old and asking your parents a question. They don't know the answer, so they make it up. Now they're not merely omitting certain details, but outright lying to you. They probably figured somehow that it wouldn't come up." Kivem laced his fingers through hers, and shivered a bit. Lenne shivered too, though not with the cold; night had fully set, and the starts were shining dimly out of the inky purple darkness. While the waves that washed around them were warm and inviting, the air about her had a definitive chill to it. "Just let her talk to you, and then maybe we can all figure out where this Anaïs is from."

Lenne gave Kivem a half-hearted smile. _Maybe he's right . . ._ she though, wrinkling her nose. "We probably ought to get back; they'll send a search party otherwise." He helped her to stand and she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You're such a great friend, Kivem," she said, trembling just a bit from the cold night air.

"I know, I know; aren't I the greatest?" he said, crossing his arms over his chest, and looking annoyingly cocky. Lenne smiled wickedly as she jumped on his back.

"If your ego was any bigger, you'd be able to float on it," she teased, holding on tightly as he reached behind to poke her between her ribs. She giggled instantly, and released him—leave it to Kivem to remember where she was most ticklish—and dashed away back toward the town. He whooped and chased after her up the path. Halfway there, he caught up to her and threw her over his broad shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She yelped as he "accidentally-on-purpose" almost dropped her; she kicked her feet, demanding to be put down.

"This is undignified!" she yelled, pummeling his back with her fists. He laughed and set her down just outside the village proper. She straightened her clothes and steeled herself for the lecture she was about to receive.


End file.
